Chain rammer for guns.



0. KN OCH.

CHAIN BAMMEB FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED 8BPT,30,1907.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

my mums PETERS co., wAsnmarmv, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

OSCAR KNOGH, OF ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHR, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO FRIED. KRUPPAKTIENGESELLSOHAFT, OF ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHR, GERMANY.

CHAIN RAMMER FOR GUNS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

Application filed. September 30, 1907. Serial No. 395,280.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR KNOCH, a sub ject of the Emperor of Germany,and aresident of Essen-on-the-Ruhr, Germany, have invented certain newand useful Improve ments in Chain Rammers for Guns, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to chain rammers for guns, the chain of which canbe wound from its extended position only in one direction. Known rammersof this kind require a guide for that portion of the chain whichprotrudes beyond the housing of the rammer, which is dispensed with bythe subject-matter of the present invention.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a side elevation of the rammer, partly in section; Fig. 2 isa section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, seen from the left; and Fig. 3 is apart of the rammer shown in plan.

The link chain which carries the rannner head A consists of outer platesB, inner plates E and hinge bolts C. Between the plates, upon the boltsC are provided rollers D. One pair of plates B is in one piece with therammer head A. The free end of this pair of plates, and both ends of theremaining outer plates B, are provided with abutting faces 6, each ofwhich rests against the abutting face I) of the adjacent plate B, whenthe chain assumes its projected position. These abutting faces arelocated in planes beneath the planes of the axes of the hinge bolts C.Further, the plates B are so formed that the chain can be wound into therammer housing F in the manner to be observed in the drawing. Thishousing is provided with a guide f for the rollers D on the hinge boltsG. The outer end of the guide 7" extends in a straight line, while itsremaining part is constructed in the form of a spiral. This remainingportion of the guide 7 lies above the horizontal plane in which therammer head A moves as it is forced outward and inward. I

In the frame G of the rammer is mounted a shaft J, which is providedwith two hand cranks K, and a chain wheel H projecting through anopening in the under wall of the straight line part of the guide f(Fig. 1) and engages with the chain.

In the position of rest, the rammer chain is completely withdrawn withinthe housing,

at which time the abutting faces 6 of those plates B whose bolts C liewithin the spiral portion of the guide f, are out of contact with theadjacent contact faces Z).

In ramming the ammunition, the rammer chain is forced outward throughthe medium of the driving gear K, J, H. As each plate B passes from thespiral portion to the straight portion of the guide f, its abuttingfaces I) rest against the abutting faces of the adjacent plates B. Thusthe chain links, in the projection of the rammer, assume the position,corresponding to the extended posit-ion of the chain. This position ismaintained in that portion of the chain extending beyond the housing, bythe weight of the members of the chain themselves.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that with the particular form given tothe several parts of the chain, in combination with the arrangement ofthe rammer housing, a guide supporting the rammer head between thehousing and the loading chamber of the gun is dispensed with. It is alsoobvious that a rammer constructed in accordance with the presentinvention can be so arranged with respect to the loading axis of the gunbarrel that the ramming head will avoid cont-act with the walls of theloading chamber, at the time of ramming, so that the injury to thesewalls will be prevented.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Let ters Patent is:

1. A chain rammer comprising a chain constructed to wind in onedirection only and having its links constructed with abut-- ting faceswhich sustain the chain in horizontal ramming position, against theweight of the chain, and a suitable housing for the chain adapted tosupport it up to the protruding portion of the chain.

2. A chain rammer comprising a housing and a chain adapted to bewithdrawn within the housing; said chain having its members suitablyjointed together and constructed with abutting faces below the plane ofthe joints to make the chain self-sustaining in a horizontal position.

8. In a chain rammer the combination of a housing constructed to receivea chain in spiral position therein and having a straight line portionlying in the direction in which it is desired to project the chain, anda chain flexible in one direction only, adapted to be withdrawn into thehousing or projected therefrom at will, and constructed with abuttingfaces between the several members which sustain the chain against itsown weight, in the direction in which it is projected.

4. A chain rammer comprising a housing, a spiral guide for the rammerchain within said housing, said guide being provided with ahorizontally-projecting portion in the same horizontal plane as thegnn-bore, a link chain constructed to'wind in one direction only and tobe self-sustaining when extended horizontally, and rollers carried bythe chain between the links whereby the chain is adapted for rollingcontact with the spiral guide of said housing.

5. In a chain rammer, the combination with the rammer head, of a chainconstructed of links provided with abut-ting faces below the plane ofthe joints to adapt said chain to sustain itself and the rammer headwhen extended horizontally, a housing for the chain provided withspirally arranged guides for separating the successive coils of thechain when in coiled position, said housing being pos1t1onecL above theplane of the chaln Joints when the chain is horizontally extended androllers carried by said chain and way having a horizontal portion forguiding the chain tangentially in a horizontal direction from below, androllers carried by the chain and adapted to roll in the spiral.guide-way.

The foregoing specification signed at Dnsseldort', Germany, this sixthday 0t September, 1907.

OSCAR KNOCH. In presence of ALFRED POHLMEYER, M. ENGELS.

